I was quite young when I stayed over my grandmother’s house.
My aunt was there as well.
I remember she wanted to take me to the movies.
She wanted to take me to see, Fantasia.

It must have been re-released with stereo sound.
My aunt loved music and thought that I would love the classical music as well.
I was taking piano lessons during those years, so the music was wonderful.
However, there was one scene that terrified me.

Read More...

I bought the sandals.
Not just one pair, but one in each of the three colors.
The black pair was for me to wear when I went outside to water my plants.
The pink and yellow pair would be so cute with a sundress.

My youngest daughter has the same sandals in two of the colors.
I cannot wear Birkenstock sandals, though, I think they’re so cute.
These sandals looked like Birkenstock sandals.
However, they were not cork, but rubber with a platform sole.

Read More...

Fall decorations are everywhere.
The beginning of October is fall decorating time at our house.
I go to a local barn and buy cornstalks, pumpkins, and anything else that is needed.
I used to get a bale of hay but have not gotten one of those for years.

This local barn has handmade items as well.
I have purchased two wooden pumpkins, one quite large and a smaller one.
I have a wooden fence that says, Welcome, and has both a crow and a pumpkin on it.
I also have a scarecrow that our youngest daughter named, Patches, when she was little.

Read More...

Two of our granddaughters are playing soccer this fall.
One is six years old and the other is five years old.
The six-year-old plays on a local field.
We went to see her last weekend.

The five-year-old lives a little less than an hour away.
We went to see her this past weekend.
We got to the field with our chairs.
We saw our son and daughter-in-love on the sidelines.

Read More...

This Whisper was originally published two years ago. It is always this time of year I ponder the paradox of my walnut tree. Everything I think about my walnut tree today, I thought then as well. It is worth repeating.

Trees are beautiful.
As fall approaches, the trees will be ablaze in color.
The air will get chillier.
The leaves will fall and carpet the ground.

I love trees.
Oh…but my walnut tree.
It is a nuisance.
That sounds harsh, but my feelings towards it are justified.

Read More...

Two of my grandchildren began school this week.
One granddaughter is in first grade.
Another granddaughter is in kindergarten.
Both are so excited about their new teacher and their new friends.

I suggested to my daughter that we meet at a local coffee shop.
The day we met was three days before the first grader would start school.
The first grader and her three siblings couldn’t wait for some Grandma time.
This local coffee shop has wonderful doughnuts that they love to eat.

Read More...

I can still hear the sound in my memory.
It was the sound of summer.
It was heard in the distance, and any child knew they had to hurry.
There was only a little bit of time to run and tell anyone within earshot, it’s coming!

The music I heard was tinny.
It was played through some sort of antiquated speaker that cut in and out on a whim.
You could hear the music blocks away, which was the intent.
The same song, played on a loop, was Pied Piper-ish as it called neighborhood children.

Read More...

We all take sleep for granted.
We assume, when our head hits the pillow, we will fall blissfully and soundly asleep.
For many, sleep is allusive.
For children, sleep is as varied as each unique child.

As an only child, I never had to share a room.
I commuted to college and worked during the week, so I never lived in a dorm.
The first time I shared a room was when I got married.
There were many adjustments in that first year.

Read More...

Two of my granddaughters are here for the next four days.
One is almost five-years-old and the other is almost two-years-old.
It is delightful to have them here.
It is wonderful to see the world from their eyes.

I have said those words before but now they have a different meaning for me.

My oldest daughter came over to see them and brought the girls outside for a bit.
It was helpful to me because it enabled me to make dinner.
I was in the kitchen cooking and getting ready to feed all of us.
I gathered things that needed to go into recycling.

Read More...

I remember the assignment.
I remember working at the kitchen table.
I remember reading it to my mother, whose reaction was one of delighted surprise.
You’re a writer, she said confidently.

If confidence could be caught like a germ, I caught it that day.
To have someone believe in your ability, and express it in no uncertain terms, is a gift.
I enjoyed the writing part of the assignment.
I did not like the artistic part of the task.

Read More...